This invention relates to an improved fuel filter for removing formation water, hydrogen sulfides, sulfur, iron sulfide and other undesirable particulate matter from, for instance, a natural gas fuel supply.
A previously developed fuel filter, commercially available from Fuel, Inc. of Hugoton, Kans., the instant assignee, comprises a lower portion for removing formation water and particulates from a fuel supply and an upper portion comprising a chemically active molecular sieve. While generally effective in accomplishing its intended purpose, it has been found that the calcium catalyst of the sieve portion degraded too quickly and was subject to powdering. In this respect, if catalyst powder is allowed to fall from the sieve into an engine, it could render the engine inoperative.
Further, the catalyst of the aforementioned filter was pelletized in uniform diameter size. Thus, the fuel was subject to a relatively large pressure drop as the fuel flowed through the filter.
In a lower portion of the known filter, a T shaped portion was included for purposes of removing entrained contamination in mass form and formation water from the fuel supply. This T shaped portion was composed of a relatively poor acid resistance plastic.
Thus those skilled in the art have recognized a significant need for a more effective filter in removing formation water and contaminants from a fuel supply such as natural gas, particularly with respect to longer life expectancy for the catalyst of the molecular sieve and which would not cause such a large pressure drop as the fuel supply flowed through the filter. Moreover, a need for a more efficient filter portion for removing entrained contamination from the fuel supply was also recognized. The present invention fulfills this need.